475 see it at Southern Oregon University
300 at the Clarke St. Theater in Portland
550 at the Garland Theatre in Spokane

RTP Lawsuit: Government Requests More Time

April DC Events Postponed


This past weekend, the We The People Foundation sponsored three more screenings of “America…From Freedom to Fascism,” producer Aaron Russo’s compelling new documentary about the erosion of freedom in America.

On Saturday afternoon, the film played to a standing-room-only gathering in Ashland, Oregon on the SOU campus, where 450 chairs had been set up in the ballroom in Britt Hall. On Sunday, another “SRO” crowd watched the film in downtown Portland at the 289-seat Clinton Street Theatre (“the oldest continuously operating theatre west of the Mississippi”). A Monday evening screening in Spokane nearly filled the 650-seat Garland Theatre.

  Watch the PREVIEW

At each venue, the crowds gave enthusiastic standing ovations for the film, which provides stark examples of how the government, international bankers and large corporations are gnawing away at the roots of our Rights, Liberties and Freedoms.
 

Portland -- full house, lights down		Portland crowd wait Aaron Russo's movie at historic venue
Portland marquis at the Garland theater		Spokane Garland theater seating 650 awaits the film

The film screens next in Chicago at two separate venues on Thursday and Saturday, one a large independent book store in downtown, and the other at an historical vaudeville theater seating approximately 1000 in the western suburb of St. Charles. Russo will be at both Chicago events and has several other screening-related engagements planned in Chicago, including a major radio station interview and appearance at a large local night club where the trailer of his film will be shown.


RTP Lawsuit: Government Asks For More Time

As previously announced, the landmark Right To Petition lawsuit is before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and a briefing schedule was ordered as follows: our Brief was due by February 22, the Government’s Response Brief was to be filed by March 24, and our Reply Brief was to be filed by April 7. 

With all the briefs filed by April 7, 2006, oral arguments would then be heard by a panel of three judges.

With this in mind, WTP published an Operations Plan for 2006 that included both a “Give Me Liberty” conference event and the “Hungering For Redress” hunger strike, scheduled back-to-back in Washington, DC for April 24, 2006. The strategic purpose of for these dual events was to bring a national spotlight to the Right-to-Petition issue and the landmark Right-to-Petition lawsuit. 

Our brief was filed on time. However, on March 14, the Government filed a motion asking the Court for an extension in time in which to file and serve its response to our Brief. Instead of March 24, the Government has asked for permission to file its Brief on April 24, the same day our DC events were to get underway. The Court is expected to grant the government’s motion. 

Click here to read the WTP/Plaintiff's appellate brief.
 

WTP Postpones April DC Events

WTP has decided to postpone the events planned for late April in Washington, DC.  Not only will we need the time to prepare our Reply Brief for the landmark Right-to-Petition lawsuit, but the screening and early distribution of Aaron Russo’s film has become a priority of the highest order for WTP.

Since the initial public screening in Tucson in January, there has been a sustained and growing level of support and enthusiasm for the film and its compelling message regarding the threats to Freedom.  The film provides the perfect backdrop for securing the attention of the nation (and the media) to the work of the Foundation.

In short, the film’s compelling message is born of the artistic craft and wit of writer, director and producer Aaron Russo.  Employing humor and emotion, it communicates vividly to audiences the grave problems our nation faces from a government that is showing less and less respect for the unalienable Rights and sovereignty of the People, as guaranteed by America’s founding documents. The Foundation is using these events to further educate the audiences about the profound, and non-violent Constitutional solution: the First Amendment Right to Petition the government for Redress of Grievances.

With a dozen successful screening events behind us, it now appears clear that Russo’s movie has substantial potential to become the “breakthrough” strategic communications vehicle that we have sought to secure the attention of the Nation to both the raging attacks on Liberty inside America, and the constitutional tools by which We the People can peacefully and rapidly repair our ailing Republic.

With the Foundation having cemented a strong relationship with Russo, including an essentially open-ended agreement to continue publicly screening the film until further notice, as well as evolving developments that are positioning the film for full, nationwide distribution this summer, the Foundation has decided to temporarily postpone its planned April events until later this summer.

By postponing the April events, we will be able to concentrate the Foundation’s limited resources on directly leveraging the success of Russo’s powerful film as an educational “segue” into the Foundation’s Right-to-Petition work, including the landmark RTP lawsuit currently under appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, DC. 

We regret any inconveniences this shift in strategy has caused those that have already made preparations to attend the April DC events. We are hopeful that you will agree that despite this late turn of events, Russo’s movie, on balance, presents a timely, powerful and compelling opportunity for the Foundation that it cannot ignore in its quest to move forward and achieve its strategic objectives of restoring Constitutional Order and reclaiming Freedom.

As we wrote last week, of the several thousand that have already seen the film, hopefully most would honestly attest that it is no exaggeration that this movie holds within it the promise to end our national nightmare of tyranny.  This movie strikes at the root of despotism and the abuse of power, exposing the tyranny to a citizenry largely ignorant of its own sad condition.

It is with this strategic vision that we now embrace Russo’s work and proclaim the commitment of the Foundation to bring this movie to theaters and living rooms across America.
 

Distribution of Russo’s Film.

The leading question that comes from each audience that has just seen Russo’s film is, “How soon will the movie be available in theaters, on DVD and on the Internet?”

Aaron intends to submit the film to the Cannes Film Festival in late May. He would then like to secure distribution to theaters nationwide during the summer. Distribution of a movie normally costs many hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars for advertising in the dominant media.

Due to the subject matter, the major movie distribution companies may be reluctant to promote the distribution of Aaron’s film. Additionally, as it previously did in an effort to censor the Foundation's series of national full-page ads in USA TODAY, it is entirely possible that the government will quietly urge the movie distribution companies to refrain from assisting with the distribution of the film.

In the end, it may ultimately be up to the People, themselves, to get the film widely distributed into theaters and to DVD outlets. Working together cooperatively, we have within our reach an achievable, historic opportunity to bring this provocative educational documentary to the American People and forever alter the national consciousness regarding our potent battle to reclaim Liberty. 

With this in mind, we are now asking People to let us know if they would be willing to be contacted (once a business plan, project budget, and appropriate legal, financial and accounting controls are in place) about contributing a tax-deductible donation toward the cost of distribution. 

Under a Foundation assisted distribution model, all monies donated for this extraordinary, mass-education project will be exclusively reserved and expended for media purchases, promotion of the film and other direct distribution related expenses.  We will provide additional information as details as the film distribution project evolve over the near future.   

“YES, PLEASE CONTACT ME. I may be interested in making a tax-deductible financial contribution toward the cost of distributing Aaron Russo’s film, America…From Freedom to Fascism.”

Acta Non Verba.
Deeds, Not Words.


Click here to see the movie PREVIEW

Latest Schedule Details

The most recently confirmed WTP regional events will be held in:

Chicago/St. Charles, Illinois -- Saturday, March 18
Ann Arbor, Michigan -- Sunday, March 19
Glens Falls (upstate), NY -- Saturday, March 25
Londonderry, New Hampshire -- Sunday March 26
Commack/Long Island, New York -- Saturday, April 1
Fairfield, Connecticut -- Sunday, April 2
San Francisco, California -- Saturday April 8

Others will be added soon….Click Here for the latest schedule details including specific locations, times, directions and printable flyers you can use locally to bring attention to these important events.


Story Related Links

Please CONTACT ME. about a possible tax-deductible donation
to help fund distribution of the film.

PREVIEW the movie

Schedule of regional screening events
 
Donate to help us continue our work

Donate & Obtain the Right-to-Petition DVD

More photos and More content...
including a moving letter titled, "Who Thought a Movie Could Change Your Life"
Check out the new WTP Congress blog site!

 

DONATE to support our work and
obtain the new Right-to-Petition Lawsuit DVD !
 

We are using the new WTP DVD documentary about the Right-to-Petition lawsuit to encourage donations so the Foundation can fund the substantial costs of prosecuting the RTP lawsuit through the federal appeals process and execute the Foundation’s Operations Plan which includes the ongoing slate of regional WTP meetings and the April "Hungering For Redress" events in Washington, DC. See The 3-minute Preview:  Dial-up    DSL/Cable     If you are having trouble streaming the previews, RIGHT-Click here and download the preview file (1.2 MB).

Please note the preview videos are lower quality than the actual DVD

Please remember, there is much to do and it is only through your generous support that our vitally important work moves forward. 

We urge all the 1700+ Plaintiffs in the history-making lawsuit, as well as every other WTP supporter to consider making a significant financial commitment so that we may conclude what our organization has begun: The awakening of the soul of America and the reclamation of Freedom.
 
As Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense: "We have it in our power to begin the world anew ”

For each donation of $100, we will promptly  send you the DVD documenting the events  of the July, 2004 RTP lawsuit kick-off event and WTP protest march through Washington, DC. Click here to Donate & Obtain the RTP DVD You can also obtain the video by mail: WTP Foundation 2458 Ridge Road Queensbury, NY  12804

Learn About WTP's Landmark  Right-to-Petition Lawsuit